The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-10
without hesitation committed rue prisoner


left the University four or five years pre-
viously. the prisoner was much In debt,
that he had lately been threatened with
summary proceedings by some of his Ok
ford creditors; and that on the day of his
arrival in town he had been to an adver-
Using money lender to endeavor to raise
money on his small expectations from his
father. In this he had been unsuccessful
Here, then, as counsel for the Crown did
not fail to point out at the trial, was a
sufficient explanation of the motive for the
diabolical act. For the defence every at
tempt possible was made to prove an alibi
but none of the witnesses who thought that
they had seen the prisoner elsewhere were
positive about the time; and in the face of
the admitted fact that the prisoner had
travelled to and left st. Pancras Station on
that night, their evidence came to nothing
The judge, who unfortunately for Alfred
Stuckey, happened to have reputation for
hanging, of which he was not a little
proud, put it o the jury thai their verdict
must practically depend upon the weight
they attached to Higg's evidence, which was
not only consistent with all the evidence as
to the prisoners previous movements, but
was strongly corroborated by the witness
identification of The deceased. There could.
in fact, SAID his lordship, be no reasonable
doubt that Higgs had seen the deceased on
the tow-path in company with some man,
who was threatening him with violence.
The only question was whether that man
was the prisoner, in whose COMPANY the
deceased was proved to have been up 10
half an hour previously, or somebody else
whom no attempt to identify had been
made, and who had no conceivable motive
for the crime. The jury naturally preferred
the former alternative, and returned ver-
dict Of Guilty"
Mr.. and Mrs. Wafies were much pleased
with their lodger, Mr.. Bib, though they felt
rather sorry for the old gentleman, too. 1t
was very sad to see him sitting in his room
all day looking at the pictures or gazing
out OF the window with that blank express
sion on his face. But on the ether hand,
young Mr.. Bib paid Mrs. Waffles an extra
half guinea per week for keeping an eye on
the old gentleman, and had also paid sew
eral weeks rent in advance, which is by no
means the usual practice of dodgers in the
neighborhood OF Remington Park, where
Mr. and Mrs. Waffles resided. Moreover,
so far from requiring extra attention, Mr..
Bib gave no troub at all, but did whatever
he was told to do, and would never even
have asked for his meals il they had not
been forthcoming. That was why Mr. and
Mrs. Waffles were so pleased with their
lodger
1t therefore gave Mrs. Waffles, as she
subsequently stated, quite turn when
Mr. Bib came downstairs one morning with
his hat and overcoat on, and evinced the
strongest intention of going ont for walk
hoA uix ctr lot inc rDC
tions that his father was on no account to
leave the house, as, besides being unable
to find his way back, he was liable to be-
come dangerously excited by the noise and
hustle of the streets. On the two or three
occasions when he had called to see his
father young Mr.. Bib had always repeated
these instructions. IL was, in fact, his in
tention to take his father away to q quiet
residence in the country as soon as he had
concluded certain business which he had
on hand.
Mrs. Waffles accordingly placed herself
before the door and explained TO Mr.. Bib
that he could not leave the premises at
present.
"Please-please," stammered the old gen
tleman, in what was for him rather an ex-
cited tone, 'can't wait-my son Alfred.
look" He drew q newspaper from his
pocket and p -nted 10 something in it. On
the pretense of looking at it Mrs. Waffles
drew him into the rarlor, whore she saw
that it was a morning paper which he had
somehow got hold Of, and that he was
pointing TO the report of the first days pro-
ceedings in the trial of the Rev. Alfred
Stuckcy at the Old Bailey. AS she read
the passage over to humor him the old man
kept on repeating: my son Alfred-murder
me?--no, no-no5 Alfred. Mustn't hang
Alfredv
Now in the parlor sat Mrs. Waffles' hus-
band taking his breakfast, for he was a
compositor in the office OF daily paper,
and a late riser. Mr.. Bib's utterances made
a deep impression on Mr. Waf1les. He was
a man of considerable intelligence, and
moreover. knew all the facts in the Stuckey
case by heart, having been engaged on the
previous day in setting up in type a report
Of the trial
He's got some delusion in his head about
this trial." said Mrs. Waffles.
Not so sure about that" replied her hus-
band. He never had one before, Ask
HIM what he wants to do.'
Mrs WafTles did so. Mr. Bib smiled
feebly and sad: "Going to see Alfred
mustn't hang my son Alfred"
"What is your name, sirl' asked Mr..
Waffles, in a loud tone.
"Stuckey. Martin Stuckey," was the
prompt response.
precious rum delusionr' observed Mr..
Waffies. "Look here, Mr.. Stuckey, how
did you come here?n
The old man pa ssed his hand across his
forehead aud looked helplessly around hum.
my son, Alfred" he SAID; then he paused
and shook his head. Presently he went
on in u rambling fashion: went out wi. h
Alfred-Ephralm changed my clothes
close by the river-Ephraim pushed me
into train-No, moi Mustn't hang Al
tredr'
There's something in this" said Mr..
Waffies, decisiveiy. HE couldn't have got
all this out of a newspaper. How do we
know that this old boy isn't Martin StucRey,
as he says. He was brought here on the
very night Martin Stuckey disappeared.
He had nothing about him to show his
name, you remember. Young Bib brought
him new linen and told him to marx it,
Martin Stuckey was weak in the head; so
is he. The name of Martin Stuckey's
second son is Ephraim, and doesn't he call
young Bib Ephraims Put on your things,
Sally, and come round with me to the
police. They will have a description Of old
Stuckey, and will very soon tell US what to
do. Look sharpl They may be sentencing
that poor devil to death this minu.e
1t was more than usually painful mo-